A resolution celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act on November 29, 2025, and recognizing its transformative impact on the education of children with disabilities.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 531 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 531

 Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act on November 29, 2025, and recognizing its transformative 
         impact on the education of children with disabilities.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            December 4, 2025

  Mr. Van Hollen (for himself, Mr. Cassidy, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Reed, Mr. 
  King, Mr. Markey, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Ms. Hassan, Ms. Warren, Mr. 
Kaine, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Kim, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Hickenlooper, 
Mr. Lujan, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Wyden, Ms. Collins, Ms. Alsobrooks, Mr. 
  Booker, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Slotkin, Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. 
   Padilla, Mr. Kelly, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Whitehouse, Ms. Smith, Mr. 
Fetterman, and Mrs. Shaheen) submitted the following resolution; which 
                      was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act on November 29, 2025, and recognizing its transformative 
         impact on the education of children with disabilities.

Whereas, on November 29, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed the Education for 
        All Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 94-142; 89 Stat. 773), which 
        was later renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 
        (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.);
Whereas, prior to the enactment of IDEA, more than 1,000,000 children with 
        disabilities were excluded from public schools, and many children with 
        disabilities were institutionalized or received inadequate or segregated 
        education;
Whereas IDEA established the right of every child with a disability to a free 
        appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment, 
        fundamentally transforming the educational landscape for millions of 
        students;
Whereas IDEA affirms and protects the rights of children with disabilities and 
        their families, ensuring access to educational opportunities and 
        procedural safeguards;
Whereas IDEA supports the development and implementation of statewide, 
        comprehensive, coordinated, multidisciplinary, and interagency systems 
        of early intervention services for infants, toddlers, and preschool-age 
        children with disabilities and their families;
Whereas IDEA ensures parents are meaningful partners with educators in 
        determining the individualized education program or early intervention 
        services a child needs;
Whereas IDEA provides the necessary tools to improve educational access and 
        opportunity through systemic supports and improvement activities, parent 
        training, coordinated research and personnel preparation, technical 
        assistance, dissemination of best practices, and access to accessible 
        assistive technology and other supports; and
Whereas Congress appropriates funding annually for Part B, C, and D programs of 
        IDEA, which support the full range of evidence-based services and 
        supports for students with disabilities, families, educators, States, 
        and localities: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes and celebrates the 50th anniversary of the 
        Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 
        1400 et seq.) and its enduring legacy and impact;
            (2) honors the millions of infants, toddlers, children, and 
        youth who have benefited from IDEA;
            (3) commends the educators, families, advocates, and 
        policymakers who have worked to uphold, advance, and ensure 
        students benefit from IDEA; and
            (4) reaffirms its commitment to carrying out IDEA to ensure 
        that every child with a disability has access to a high-quality 
        education and the opportunity to thrive.
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